More than three-quarters (76pc)of IT professionals across Ireland intend to leave their current jobs in the next three years, a new survey has revealed. ‘Numb,’ ‘unchallenged,’ ‘frustrated’ and ‘underpaid’ were words used by some IT professionals to describe how their jobs make them feel.
Archer Specialist Recruitment distributed the survey to 700 IT professionals in Ireland.
The survey found almost half of IT professionals do not feel secure in their jobs and a third feels their skills set doesn’t match their roles.
With almost a quarter of these professionals planning to emigrate, the fears of a ‘brain drain’ sweeping across the IT sector may be realised.
“I was stunned at this high level. It highlights the ‘new’ relationship to employment,” said principal IT recruitment consultant Josh Linton.
“These skilled and bright people need to be challenged and rewarded in their employment relationship. They don’t expect a lifelong commitment from the employer and aren’t prepared to give it. IT professionals are often attracted to innovation and the opportunity to gain exposure to new technologies and are often guided by self-interest rather than organisation’s goals. It presents an interesting challenge for companies to attract and retain talent.”
Principal IT recruitment consultant Sam Perrin from Archer said many IT professionals have high expectations of their jobs with the grass being greener with other Silicon Valley-style organisations.
“This creates a feeling of frustration. Some companies fall into the trap of only thinking about their own immediate deliverables and ignore the creative potential within their team. Most companies have had to become leaner, requiring more from each person. IT professionals often work a good stretch beyond a 40-hour week, which can make them feel underpaid,” Perrin said.
On a brighter note, the survey has shown that many IT professionals feel ‘privileged’, ‘satisfied,’ ‘optimistic’ and ‘valued’ in their roles.
These professionals are also adopting social media at a high rate as a career-development tool. Some 84pc own LinkedIn accounts with more than a third using these to secure employment.
